of waterbury



Patented Mar. 8, 1932 UNITED sTATss PATENT. OFFICE.

LOIJIS I; WEBER-T, OE WATERZBU'RY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIG-NOR TO THEAMERICAN BRASS COMPANY, OF WATERCBURY CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OFCONNECTICUT corrEa-smmoN-z'mc ALLOYS No Drawing.

' copper and silicon and containing additions of a third or fourthelement or additions of" both third and fourth elements to producesound, strong alloys which are highly resistm'ant to the chemical actionof certain mineral aciids, organicacids and other corrosive liqu1 s.

For the past 30 years or more theso-called silicon bronzes containingfrom 3.0 to 5.0 percent silicon and from 97.0 to 95.0percent copper havebeen known'as strong and noncorrosive alloys. I i I have discovered thatthe addition of zinc to copper-silicon alloys brings about a three foldimprovement namel (1) When the copper-silicon-zinc alloys are remeltedsuch alloys have a less tendency to absorb furnace gases thancopper-silicon alloys containing no zinc. Sounder castings are producedwhen zinc is present. (2) The corrosion resistance to certain liquids isimproved. For example: test made on copper-silicon-zinc alloyscontaining about 3.0 percent silicon and from 4 to 6 percent zinc showeda loss of'from .048 to .055 gram per/square inch in 10 percenthydrochloric acid in an alternate immersion testof 96 hours. Acopper-silicon alloy of about 3.75 percent silicon tested under the sameconditions had a loss of .083'gram per' square inch. (3) The alloys arewhen additions of zinc are made. For example: An alloy containing 97percent copper and 3.0 percent silicon will have a tensile strength,after --a 43% percent reduction in cold rolling and drawing, ranging105,000 to 110,000 pounds per square inch with an elongation in twoinches close to 14.0 percent. Copper-silicon-zinc alloys containingclose to 3.0 percent silicon and zinc from 4: to 6 percent will have atensile strength ranging from 115,000 to 130,000 pounds per square inchand an elongation in two inches in the neighborhood of 12 percent, afterthe metal had received the same 43 percent reduction in cold rolling anddrawing.

stronger.

from

Application filed January 15, 1930. Se'rial No. 421,071

The alloys may be prepared by melting a given weight of copper undercharcoal and adding to it the required amount of silicon.

After the silion has dissolved in the copper the required amount of zincis introduced. Some of the alloy scrap may be melted with thecopperbefore adding the silicon and then the zinc.

'In selecting alloys for hot working, cold rolling or drawing, alloyscontaining from about 1.0 percent to about 4.5 percent silicon with azinc content of from about 1.0 to about 8.0 percent are used.: Thecastings are first heated for homogenizing at a temperature ranging from700 to 800 C. for about one hour. They are then removed from the furnaceand hot rolled to the desired shape. When the alloys are cold workedthey are softened at certain stages by annealing for 30 minutes to onehour at temperatures ranging from500 to 700 C. After such anneals, coldWorking may be continued.

In keeping the silicon content at about 3.0 percent and adding zinc, Ihave found that solid solutions are obtained when suchcopper-silicon-zinc alloys containing zinc up to about 15 percent areannealed about one hour at about 700 C. to about 800 C. The hardness ofthe alloys as cast increases with increase of zinc up to about 15percent. The hardness of the castings when annealed at about 700 C. toabout 800 C. increases with increase of zinc up to about 15 percent.

For sand castings I prefer to use a silicon content of about 3.5 percentand a zinc con-, tent ranging from about 10 percent to about 1 0.0percent. For special applications, the

zinc may be increased to fifteen percent;

In order to increase the corrosion resistance to certain liquids and toadd strength, tin in amounts ranging from about 6.0'percent may be addedto the copper-silicon-zinc alloys. When these coppersilicon-zinc-tinalloys are to be cold worked the amount of tin added is about 0.5percent to about 4.0 percent. For sand castings tin up to about 6.0percent may be added. The castings may be annealed one hour at about600to about 750 C. With this heat treatment the alloys becomepractically homogeabout 0.5 percent to,

neous in which state they will have better.

physical'properties for certain applications than the unannealed castalloys. In preparing the alloys the tin is preferably added after thezinc is introduced. 7

With the use of the oxy acetylene' flame or similarmeans of melting, Ihave found that the copper-silicon-zinc alloys containing about 1.0percent to 3.5 percent silicon and about 0.2 percent to 5.0 percent zincwhen made intowelding rods" may be utilized extensively for weldingand'brazing copper-or copper alloys. In addition to silicon and zinc therods may contain amounts of tin ranging from about'0.5 percent to about4.0 percent. a

The presence of a small amount of manganese has been found beneficial tothese alloys,

either'the copper-.sil-icon-zinc or the coppersilicon-zinc-tin alloys,imparting. added strength, the amount added ranging from about 0.1percent to about 0.5"percent.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention,'what I claim is: I A

1. A copper base alloy containing about 1.0 percent to about 4.5 percentsilicon, about 1.0 percent to about 15 percent zinc, manganese withinthe limits of 0.1 percent to about 0.5 percent, and the balance copper.

2. A copper-base alloy for hot and cold Working containing about1.0.percent to about "4.5 percent silicon, about 1.0 percent to 8.0

percent zinc, manganese within the limits of 0.1 percent to 0.5 percent,andthe balance copper.

containing about 1.0 percent to about 3.5 per cent silicon, about 012percent to 'about 5.0

percent zinc, manganese within the limits of 0.5'percent, and

about 0:1 percent to about the balance copper.

4. A copper-base alloy containing about 1.0 percent to about 4.5 percentsilicon, about 1.0 percent to about 15 percent zinc, about 0.5 percentto about 6.0 percent tin, manganese within the limits of 0.1 percent to0.5 percent, and the balance copper.

. 5. A copper-base alloy for hot and cold working containing about 1.0percent to about .4.5 percent silicon, about 1.0 percent to about 8.0percentzinc, about 0.5 percent to about 3. A copper-base alloy forwelding rods 4.0 percent tin, manganese within the limits of p 0.1percent to 0.5.percent, and the balance copper. s

6. A copper-base alloy for welding rods containing about" 1.0 percent toabout 3.5 percent silicon, about 0.2 percent to about 5.0 percent zinc,about 0,5 percent to about 4.0 percent tin, manganese within the limitsof about 0.1 percent to about 0.5 percent, and the balance. copper. 1

s In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LOUIS P/WEBERT.

